A student from Mumbai recently shared their B1/B2 visa journey on Reddit and got approved in 9 days to attend a conference in Dallas.
From Application to Emergency Appointment
The applicant started the process on 21st July by filling the DS-160. After submitting it, they paid the application fee and booked the appointment. Initially the earliest available date was 2026 April. But since the conference was in 2025 August, they applied for an emergency appointment.
“I wrote a detailed explanation, attached the invitation letter and got approved in less than 24 hours on 23rd July,” the user said. Then they scheduled their biometrics appointment on 25th July and consular interview on 28th July at the Mumbai Consulate.
A Smooth Interview
The applicant described the interview day experience in detail. “At the entrance I kept my electronic devices in the provided lockers, passed through security and went to the biometrics confirmation desk. Then I was directed to the English speaking interview line,” they said.
The applicant recalled the conversation with the visa officer.
VO: Good morning. Me: Very good morning. VO: What is the purpose of your visit? Me: I am going to attend an academic conference. VO: Where is the conference? Me: At the University of Texas, Dallas. VO: Where do you study? Me: I study at [University Name]. VO: Is that a poster presentation? Me: No, it’s a full-fledged presentation. VO: Explain that to me. Me: I submitted an abstract, got selected and was invited to give a full presentation at the PhD Forum. VO: Is someone traveling with you? Me: No, I will be traveling alone. VO: Your visa is approved.
The applicant was thrilled. “I thanked them with a big smile. The whole interview took less than 4 minutes.”
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